Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-01-21
CINNAMON ROSES.

The cottage house had been painted
white, but the paint now was only a
film in some places. One could see the
gray wood through it. The establish
ment had generally declining look; the
shingles were scaling from the roof, the
fences were leaning. All the bit of new
ness and smartness about it was the
front door. That was painted bright
blue.
Cinnamon rose-bushes grew in the
square front yard. They were full of
their little sweet ragged roses now. With
their silent, lowly persistency they had
overrun the whole yard. There was no
stepping between them. They
formed a green bank against the house
walls; their branches reached droopingly
across the front walk, and pushed
through the fence. Children on the
sidewalk could pick the roses.
Four men coming up the street with a
business air looked hesitatingly at this
rose-crowded front yard when they
neared it.
THAR amt no use goin' in thar into
that mess Of prickly roses" said one-a
large man with happy smile and swas-
ger.
ave are obliged by law to have the
sale on the premises" remarked another,
blandly and authoritatively. He was a
light-whiskered young fellow, who wore
better clothes than the others. and held
large roll of papers ostentatiously.
"Oh dear!" they heard distinctly, in a
unnaturalstrain on it-"oh dear oh dear
me! dear mel" Then followed loud hys-
terical sobs; then the voice kept on: "Oh,
father, what made you leave me?-what
made you die an leave me? l want fit
to be left alone Oh, father! oh, mother!
oh, Luciny! amt got anybody
amt, not anybody. Oh dear! oh dear
mel dear mel"
Il heard she took on awfully bout it,"
said the auctioneer.
"Well, you might as well go on" said
the lawyer; "duty has to be performed,
no matter how unpleasant"
The auctioneer commenced his read
ing of the statement of the conditions of
the sale, then the bidding began. That
was soon over, since there were only two
bidders The old man, who held the
mortgage, which had been foreclosed,
bid with nervous promptness the exact
amount of his claim. Then man at
the cherry tree made bid of few dol
lars more, and he was pronounced the
purchaser.
Going, eoing-gone!" said the auction
neer, ito William Havers"
William Havers fingered about his new
estate until the others had departed,
which they did as soon as the necessary
arrangements had been completed. They
wanted to be out of hearing of those sad
cries and complaints.
Havers strolled out to the road with
them. When he saw them fairly started
he went swiftly back to the house, tc
the side door.
He knocked cautiously. Directly the
cries broke out louder and shriller
They've come to order me out. Oh
dear! oh dear! dear! dear! They've come
to order me out-they hev, they hevl"
Steps approached the door swiftly; il
opened, and a woman appeared. She
looked pale and troubled, but she wa.
not the one in such bitter distress, TO
the cries still sounded from the interior
of the house.
How do you do, Mr.. Havers?7 sale
the woman, with grave formality.
Can l see her minute" he asked
hoarsely.
Elsie? l don't know. She's takin
on dreadfully. She amt fit to see any
body. I'm afraid she wouldn't"
IF she'd only see me a minute. I've
got something 1 want to say particu
lar"
well, I'll see."
She disappeared and directly tn,
voice, which had been little more sub
dued, waxed louder.
No, l won't see him; won't;
can't. won't see anybody. 1 neve
want to see anybody again as long as
live. Oh dear! dear!"
1T amt any use," said the woman
coming back. "She amt fit to see any
body; she's most crazy. She don't know
what she's savin', anyhow"
"Then you tell her-you go right in an
tell her now-she kin stay here. 1t don
make any odds about my buyin' tn,
place; l won't live here. She kin keel
right on stayin' here jest the same"
A door opened suddenly, and anothe
woman appeared. She was a pitifu
sight. She had a little slim bony figur
which seemed to tremble in every joint
Every line in her small face wavered an,
quivered; her blue eyes were watery an
bloodshot; her skin all blotched an
stained with tears. She was so disfiguret
by grief that it was impossible to judg
of her natural appearance. She woul
have been hideous had not her smallnes
and frailty in her distress made her pite
Gus.
Now, however, something besides sor
row seemed to move her. She was al
alive with a strange impotent wrath
which was directed against William
Havers.
She clinched her red, bony hands; he
poor eyes flashed with Indignation
though the force of it was lost through
| . Id. 80, II